Marshall Digital Scholar

Title

Oral History Interview: William Allen Cross

Authors

William Allen Cross

Interviewer

Unknown

Files

Description

In his interview, William Allen Cross discusses Prohibition and bootlegging in Huntington, West Virginia. Mr. Cross was a theater manager for the Keith Albee Theater (referred to as the State Theater) in Huntington, WV. Although he did not make moonshine, he was a buyer during Prohibition. He discusses how bootleggers sold their whiskey and provides locations for stills. Mr. Cross also focuses on how to make moonshine, whiskey, and wine. He reminiscences about “the Strip” between 10^th and 11^th Streets in Huntington, WV, that served from 1925-1945 as a red-light, gambling, and bootlegging district. In the audio clip provided, Mr. Cross discusses using a “party system” to purchase moonshine. He also focuses on the social ramifications of buying and consuming moonshine.

Publication Date

Summer 6-13-1974

Type

Text

Keywords

Huntington, WV, Alcohol, Moonshine, Bootlegging, Prohibition, Keith Albee Theater

Disciplines

Alternative and Complementary Medicine | American Material Culture | American Popular Culture | Appalachian Studies | Oral History | Social History | Theatre History | United States History | Women's History | Women's Studies

Comments

Interview is included in the Marshall University Oral History Collection. The index number is OH64-158. This interviewer is unknown. MDS exhibit prepared by Jennifer Gehringer, November, 2014.

Rights

Educational use only, no other permissions given. Copyright to this resource is held by the content creator, author, artist or other entity, and is provided here for educational purposes only. It may not be reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission of the copyright owner.

Streaming Media

Recommended Citation

Marshall University Special Collections, OH64-158, Huntington, WV.